Ordinants,

As requested, a brief report on the actions beneath the Steady Hand.

While speaking in the Hall today with two ordinants of the Society of the Ordered Mind, it was mentioned that the mindflayer Intryzz had some connection with activity beneath the ruins of the Steady Hand Inn in the Canal Ward.

Ordinant Lathae several times refused to explain precisely what this connection was, except to warn Denten, myself, and Vince (a friend of mine from Lower) to stay away from it. He suggested that Intryzz had some power over the place, and warned us that we'd lose our minds if we went there. He said the Society was unwilling or unable to do anything about it due to the political climate. He said that Tane and Wesh should not be negotiated with, and would not allow the Society to do anything.

Although I'm sure the Ordinant had his reasons, it would have been helpful if he'd explained what he'd found there -- he'd only say he'd "investigated the situation" already, and refused to provide specifics except general warnings. The Ordinant also initially refused to accompany us, claiming that "he'd learn nothing new." Later he did show up, but was kicked out by Impatient and the other people down there who seem to bear the Society some sort of grudge (I guess for blowing up the Steady Hand in the first place).

At any rate, Denten and myself (later accompanied with the Golden Mercenary Tommy, Thrania of the Sanctuary Times, and a Lower kid named Vince) went and checked it out.

Turns out that in a cave beneath the ruins a large group of folks, including a gnome named "Impatient" and a big fat man named Xumar, are hanging around surrounded by old illithid equipment. The equipment, although mostly broken, seems to have been used to help the people there acheive a feeling of peace and tranquility. Obviously, that stuff is dangerous so we did our best to convince the people living there to let us take the equipment.

Eventually we got Impatient to agree, on the condition that we investigated some lower, sealed off level directly beneath where something extremely dangerous was lurking.

Eventually he ported us through to this lower level, and it was there that we discovered all manner of terrible monsters and experimental creatures.

At a rough count we destroyed:

Over 14 Umber Hulk Guardians Over 50 forms of Magic Eaters Less than five forms of hook horror experiments 2-3 giant nightmare creatures with all manner of psionic abilities Several psionic hounds A large number of nyths Various other creatures A huge minotaur guardian

And worst of all, some kind of half-illithid/half-human creature that was buried deepest in the complex. It was a creature of terrible rage and power, but was finally slain.

After destroying all of these terrible creatures, we emerged and Impatient the Gnome agreed to teleport all of the equipment in the cave into a store room in the Seekers Hall.

I'm not sure if he'll follow through on this, but if this equipment turns up don't be alarmed. I'll leave it to wiser heads than mine to decide what should be done with it.

- Orison

You may notice I included in the report my concerns over Ordinant Lathae's unwillingness to share information about what he'd previously discovered. I hope you'll take this full report as a good faith effort and sign of a willingness and hope for better cooperation in the future.

Orison Hallafat